Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 4 Episode 8 of Succession.Fast-paced and unrelenting, Succession’s election night episode “America Decides” proves that America doesn’t really decide at all. Perhaps the episode should have been called “Shiv Decides” because the reason everything goes sideways is primarily thanks to her rash choices. Shiv’s (Sarah Snook) saga of misfortune this season all started after her conversation with Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) in Norway. This talk sparked a surprising new alliance that looked as if it could’ve feasibly won it all by the series’ end. That is until it’s revealed that Matsson isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. According to the head of Gojo Communications, Ebba (Eili Harboe), Matsson’s subscriber numbers in India have been greatly exaggerated, and he isn’t even a legitimate coder. Naturally, this revelation led to some unease from Shiv who was still playing double agent for Matsson while appearing to ally with her brothers.

Secrets Never Stay Secret For Long

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Image via HBO

This revelation should have been a moment of clarity for Shiv. Her ruse was going well and for a couple of episodes, she was poised to take it all. She’s already ignored many red flags from Matsson (remember the blood bricks?) but the fudged numbers should’ve been where she drew the line and came clean to her brothers. This path would by no means be a cure-all, but owning up to the truth is always better than keeping it a secret because one way or another someone always finds out.

The someone in this scenario is none other than Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun). Yep, Greg “If it is to be said, so it be, so it is” Hirsch of all people is the one that outs Shiv to her brothers. He became privy to the information when he was trying to cozy up to Matsson and his crew during the tailgate party and once Shiv finds out she attempts to silence him. But still reeling from her encounter with Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), who (understandably) didn’t know whether or not her bombshell pregnancy declaration was real or just another tactic, Shiv became shaken and the best she could do was fire off some empty threats. Greg saw right through Shiv and even attempted to cut a deal for his silence. Not realizing that Greg has become much more cutthroat since they last spoke, Shiv assumed she could scare him into submission by threatening to string his guts out. This would have certainly scared Greg a season or two ago, but he’s fired people now and the new Greg is willing to pour the proverbial Lemon La Croix straight into her eyes when he outs her to Kendall (Jeremy Strong).

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Kendall Opens Up in a Moment of Vulnerability

Jeremy Strong in Succession Season 4 Episode 8
Image via HBO

But before Kendall learns of his sister's betrayal, he takes time to open up to her in one of his most honest and genuine moments in the series. Kendall tells Shiv he doesn’t think he’s a good father. It’s something that we can all sadly agree with, but it shows a side of Kendall we rarely see. For once, he is scared of becoming like Logan (Brian Cox) as he states, “Maybe the poison drips through.” He admits he feels threatened by Roman’s (Kieran Culkin) relationship with Jeryd Mencken (Justin Kirk) and wants Shiv’s help to try and push for Daniel Jimenez (Elliot Villar). He also tries to reaffirm to Shiv who their main enemy is: Matsson.

This is the moment; Kendall is open, he is vulnerable and his discussion with Shiv is a subtle cry for help. In this quiet moment of honesty between the two siblings, Shiv could admit it all, apologize and help Kendall push for the candidate she has been rooting for this whole time, realigning herself with the family. Instead, she stays quiet and sheepishly feigns agreement that Matsson is the enemy. After telling Kendall he’s “a good guy” she steps out and dials a fake number to make it appear as if she is aiding the cause.

In the Roy Family, Ego Is the Real Victor

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Image via HBO

Shiv doesn’t really owe an explanation to her brothers because we all know they have their own plans for individual success that involves betrayal at one point or another, but the simple act of sucking her Roy ego up and knowing when to abandon ship is enough to alleviate herself of potential enemies in her brothers. Of course, ego wins out and Shiv’s decision to withhold her betrayal backfires spectacularly.

Shiv has already faced an insurmountable amount of embarrassment up to this point, but the humiliation only continues when she exclaims that her phony call went great, something that only prompts Kendall to call Nate (Ashley Zukerman) himself. No dialogue is required for the next scene as Kendall looks at Shiv through the glass. He walks towards Greg, who tells all without hesitation and walks off shooting Shiv with a ruthless, very un-Greg-like smirk. If looks could kill, we’d all be dead because the way Kendall stares at his sister after finding out about her betrayal is heartbreaking. Kendall is understandably devastated. He just poured his heart out to Shiv and got stabbed in the back. His rare attempt at empathy is immediately shut down, so Kendall pivots to where he is more comfortable: cold, hard, numbers. He is so hurt by her betrayal that he decides to throw all of the American democracy to the wind in favor of Mencken, using the excuse that “he’s a guy we can do business with” to mask his wounded feelings and shift his gut instinct that Mencken is a horrid choice to run the country.

Having burned the bridge she just forged with Kendall, Shiv makes perhaps her worst decision yet, doubles down, and puts all her weight behind Matsson with full knowledge of his illegitimacy. She has shot herself in the foot so many times, it’s a miracle she can still walk but despite her erratic actions, her desire for individual power is certainly understandable. However, even if she succeeds she’ll still be splitting the score with Matsson. But perhaps it's more about family. Shiv is a Roy, after all. Every Roy kid has had their moment where they attempt to seize it all – it’s actually kind of all they do. Kendall has his plans, Roman has his (and seems to be our current frontrunner thanks to the new father figure he’s found in Mencken) and Shiv continues to dig the hole deeper for herself by sticking with Matsson. But if there is one thing we know about the Roys, it’s that they don’t stay down for long, so with only two episodes left, the only question that matters is, “Can Pinky dance?”